ANGIE'S MASTER RECIPE: NANA'S ITALIAN FEAST
This master recipe has been followed for generations in the Torcivia family and you will be everybody's new hero if you can pull it off. It takes two to do this so get up early and get busy- food this good takes all day! Serves about 10 people.
Ricotta cheese Ingredients:
1 gallon whole milk
1 pint heavy cream
1 8 oz. sour cream
Dash of salt
1-2 small lemons
You will need a large silicone basting brush and at least an 8 qt. pot.
Manicotti Filling Ingredients: ( we call it Mana-got)
Your homemade ricotta cheese
Ball of Oaxaca cheese (sorry Nana, but it's so buttery!)
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Parsley
2 eggs
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Crepe ingredients
6 eggs
1 and 1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
pinch salt
Meatball Ingredients:
2 lb. Ground beef
1 egg
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
3 cloves garlic (minced)
Brasciole Ingredients:
4 large milanese style beef cutlets
4 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano (more to come!)
1 cup fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper
Butcher's twine
Sauce ingredients:
3 large cans peeled tomatoes (save an empty can to hold your wooden spoon)
3 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 cans tomato paste (save an empty can)
3 cloves garlic
Dash salt
Splash of olive oil
About 2 tablespoons of the strained meatball grease, providing you didn't burn or violate it in any way. Otherwise use a tablespoon of lard and the olive oil.
1 paste can of red wine (this is why you save the can)
1 paste can of water
Fresh Italian sausage- 1 lb. sweet and 1 lb. hot
Salad Ingredients:
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Serving:
2 lb. spaghetti or your favorite pasta served family style in a big bowl. Mix a few ladles of sauce into your al dente' pasta and place all of the meats on a nice big platter, being careful not to destroy the Brasciole! It will be so tender that if you stir the sauce it will disintegrate and you will be left with something that resembles a Sloppy Joe. Not good! Slice the Brasciole carefully with a SHARP knife on the platter and discard the string.
Tell everyone to belly up & serve themselves!
You will also need:
Parsley for garnish
Plenty of grated Pecorino Romano on top!
A nice Italian or French bread
A great olive oil for dipping bread
Great red wines that you love
About 10 people that you love
Cooking and preparation time about 8 hoursThis tool is a must-have when making this recipe. If the milk is not constantly stirred and gently removed from the bottom and sides of the pot, it will scorch and ruin the cheese. This is the best tool for the job and you will thank me later when you don't have to remove what basically becomes spray-on truck bedliner from your pot.